About Us

Our Mission

To assist Walla Walla High School faculty and staff by providing volunteers from Whitman College to support all interested students through a one hour weekly session during either 6th or 7th periods, Monday through Thursday. These sessions are based around a flexible curriculum geared towards helping students discover their strengths, goals, and passions, while providing them with strategies to attend and succeed in higher education emphasizing proactive life and study skills, awareness of the college application and selection process, preparation for the SAT or ACT, and financial aid opportunities.

What does it mean to be a College Coach?

  • One hour/week committment either with an individual student or in the Guided Study classroom.
  • Commit for the entire semester, but preferably the entire academic year (especially with an individual student). **Note: carpools are available!
  • Attend our Orientation session at the beginning of the year to help you navigate our curriculum, challenges in the classroom, and learn ways to get the most out of your College Coaches experience.
  • Be available for all-campus events, such as having your student shadow you for a day at the college.
  • Bond with a group of students that are excited about continuing to serve the community in college, mentoring students with a variety of challenges and strengths, and education in the high school classroom. This may include social get-togethers with other Coaches, receiving College Coaches shirts, and meeting to bounce ideas off of one another to create meaningful relationships with our students and each other.

Program Fast Facts

  • Established spring semester 2010 by Whitman student Emily Lorente (class of 2011) through a grant from GEAR-Up, a program that assists groups of students from middle school through high school by providing tutoring, motivational speakers, interactive learning experiences and support for both teachers and parents.
  • Incorporated into the Whitman College Community Service Office with a Whitman employed intern running the program in the fall of 2011.
  • Implemented a second volunteer program in the Guided Study Classrooms in fall of 2011.